Curvaceous Bridalhttps://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk
bridal boutique for fuller figure brides sizes 16 to 36Thu, 21 Feb 2019 11:35:23 +0000en
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1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.1Wedding Trends for 2019https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/wedding-trends-for-2019/
https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/wedding-trends-for-2019/#respondFri, 15 Feb 2019 17:57:40 +0000https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/?p=1546Are you influenced by the wedding
trends going viral in 2019? We had 2 Royal weddings in 2018 and their influence
is seen across all designers and following are wedding trends you need to know
about

Traditional wedding
dresses

Traditional fabrics and classic designs
are making a comeback, continuing the vintage style so in vogue in 2018. The stunningly
simple but incredibly elegant Megan Markle dress has majorly influenced wedding
dress design for 2019, every designer has a simple, classic satin boat neck
design in their range. The dress silhouette line is clean and without bling or
sparkle. Designs are altered slightly to suit every shape of bride. The
silhouette is important in terms of suiting your shape, dropped waist styles do
suit curvy brides. Pockets are also a big hit for brides in 2019, lots of
wedding dresses now have in line pockets. Lots of designers are also including
halter necks in their ranges, these are very grown up styles and fundamentally
different from the strapless or off the shoulder styles.

Blue and Metallic wedding dresses are
also becoming part of the designers offers, Vera Wang has some stunning blue
styles. Metallic colours include rose gold and bronze with Silver the most
popular.

Capes and capelets

When worn with a strapless wedding
dress, capes and capelets add some romance and elegance for wedding dresses.
They also add a feminine and creative silhouette for the boho or more informal
brides. Capes are becoming shorter and shorter with Callista’s Amy capelet a
very popular choice. They are also very good for covering exposed arms for curvy
brides who do not wish to have their arms on show.

Photographs

Of course the drone is big news and a
huge trend for 2019 and is being used by photographers to capture the more
unusual photos of the couple and the venue.

Another way to be different and unique
is to have smoke bomb photos, these are becoming more common and make a massive
impact to your wedding photo collection.

The Donut Wall

Oooooo donuts love them. This is so on
trend for 2019 becoming THE pudding/sweetie/party centre for all get-togethers
and occasions. It is literally a wall of
pegs with donuts attached. Lots of different centres, such as raspberry,
custard, strawberry, honey, peanut butter or plain. Sweet trolleys are so last
year.!!!!

Wedding colours

Choosing your colour theme is very
important, your bridesmaids dresses, the grooms suit, your flowers, wedding
cake and venue dressing all relies on you choosing your colours. Popular
colours continue to be pink, lilac, blue and purple. The Pantone colour for
2018 was Lilac and for 2019 the colour is Coral. This is a stunning colour for
spring and summer which is bright and cheerful and goes with the range of
colours from deep pink to cream. When choosing bridesmaids dresses always ask
for a colour swatch to match for flowers etc.

Wedding Cakes

The traditional 3 tier white wedding
cakes with white piping flowers on is long gone. There are some amazing cake
designers out there and go to a wedding fair to see the breadth of designs and
colours to match your colour theme. Recently I have seen cakes that hang upside-down
like a chandelier, lego cakes, cakes with an explosion of flowers all over,
flowers cascading down one side, cup-cakes only cakes, metallic cakes, marble
design cakes. The imagination is endless, for 2019 the more unusual the design
the more on trend.

The traditional fruit cake in all 3
layers is also old hat!! Cakes are now more likely to be lemon drizzle,
chocolate orange, Victoria sponge, raspberry or another combination of modern
flavours.

Dressing your venue

Hiring a venue dresser is definitely a
growing trend for 2019. Setting up your venue tables with centre pieces,
coloured table cloths, special favours and presents is very on trend for 2019.
Large lit up letters spelling out you and your partners initials or the word
LOVE have a high impact, also projecting your initials onto the dance floor is
effective. The trend for 2019 is to have bespoke greenery instead of flowers in
centrepieces. The most impactful trends are organic, foliage, green flowers and
opulent designs, this follows on from the vintage and rustic weddings of 2018
with the range of greens from sage to holly being more prevalent in 2019,

Put away the
mobiles

Social media is invading every part of
our lives and the top trend for phone usage is to be an unplugged wedding. The
trend for 2019 is for family and guests is to put away their phones. For every
minute that someone films the event they miss being involved in it. Suggest
that they should throw themselves into the ceremony and the day rather than see
it through their phones.

The venue of your wedding is critically important to making your day as special as it should be. You will need to think about your vision for your day and how the venue fits that. You will need to consider guests, your dress and access and not just how pretty the venue is. Be practical and plan so that there are no surprises on your wedding day and all goes smoothly, these tips will help you achieve that.

Formal or Informal

What
is your vision for your special day? Are you dreaming of a fully traditional
day with a church wedding and a long aisle with your Wedding Dress train
flowing along behind you? Or does that image give you hives? Does a more
relaxed hotel or country based venue suit you more, you could be married in a
room within a hotel where you stand together at the front of all your family
and friends with the registrar. It really is what you and your fiancé want for your day

Close family and friends

We can’t get away with it we have to consider our closest family in terms of venue because no one wants to have a close relative who cannot walk in their shoes on a damp forest floor or walk down multiple steps. It is worth discussing your choice of venue early on with family and friends and consider the needs of elderly relatives and those with young children. Our son chose a small informal hotel so that grandparents in their 80s could go to their room for a rest when they wanted to. This worked really well for those guests with young children too who can get tired and upset and then disrupt the event. There is also the bride and groom who chose a very small church where only a very small amount of guests could access. The other guests had to stand around outside and could not hear or see the ceremony, this left a poor atmosphere throughout the day as guests were unable to sit down and really felt left out. The couple were also upset that guests did not feel part of their wedding.

Wedding Dress

For many brides their wedding dress is the most important part of their wedding day. Lots of brides come into Curvaceous Bridal and discuss how their dress needs to suit the venue. It is always worth considering what the width of the aisle will be at your venue, even measuring it is good so that you will know if you and your groom will fit down the aisle. For example, a bride recently talked about their plans for a rustic wedding outside in a forest clearing and then a reception in a marquee. We discussed how a princess ball gown silhouette was what the bride really wanted to wear but that the style was not right for the venue and would get caught on branches or the trees. The bride chose a fit and flare style which really looked amazing. She decided to not have a train and to have flowers in her hair rather than a veil. Some venues such as a church do suit wedding dresses that have a real wow effect. Particularly those dresses that have a beautiful back of lace or a key hole design as the guests will see the brides back view going up the aisle. If a wedding dress is thought to have too much ‘puffiness’ it is always possible to take out 1 or 2 layers of net or if not ‘puffy’ enough a hoop can be added.

Bridesmaids

It really helps if the bridesmaids are on board with your venue choice. Take them with you to do an early review of venues and short list for the groom to see. It’ll be a lot of fun and they are likely to be very helpful on ideas and how the venue would work. You will also need to consider the bridesmaids dresses in terms of colour and design. Your colour scheme will need to fit in the venue, particularly if the venue is a hotel with a specific décor, you may have your heart set on a colour eg navy blue and the venues colour palette is dark blue, brown or black. The clash would not work well on photos. The dresses for bridesmaids need to be thought about in terms of design, for example are strapless designs ok for a cold church you don’t want your girls shivering. A fur or chiffon stole would help to keep them warm.

Sit down meal or Buffet?

Have you any thoughts about what food you would like at the reception? Increasingly the USA tradition of a cocktail hour is being taken up here. This is just after the ceremony when photos are being taken and guests have a drink and small pastries or savouries before the main meal. A buffet does allow the bride and groom to mingle more with the guests and have a much wider variety of foods, this is helpful where there are many guests with allergies, such as gluten free, or are vegetarian/vegan. From experience there does tend to be a lot of left overs with a buffet. Not every venue will offer a buffet and only do a ‘sit down’ meal. This does impact on the timing of your wedding ceremony and reception. If you get married at 12 noon then the meal will be at lunch time of 1-2pm same if you decide to get married later in the day. With a buffet of course you have more flexibility. The venue will have an input into the timing of your reception as they have staff who will need to be available and not to go over their working hours. A ‘sit down’ meal at lunchtime and then an evening buffet is a good choice. The key here is flexibility and being guided by your venues key contact.

Venue Budget

It goes without saying that weddings are expensive. Venues in particular are costly, often the basic price is then added to when you start to specify changes or additions such as décor or number of guests. It is advisable to negotiate a package amount where everything is included. It also pays to be cheeky, always ask for something to be thrown in. Hotels operate on fixed costs so they will, for example, employ room cleaning staff if the hotel is full or if the hotel is empty so ask for a couple of free rooms as it costs the hotel no more money but saves you a fortune for guests who will be staying overnight. There is likely to be a choice of menus so bare in mind your guests and what they are likely to enjoy but also what you can fit into your budget. Don’t over order on a buffet if you have 50 guests only order for 45 as there is always food left over! Remember a popular venue in the summer months will not be likely to negotiate in your favour as they can always have other bookings. Think about booking 2 years early or going for a day Monday to Thursday or a Sunday where the venues are generally cheaper. Winter Weddings are a lovely time of year, I recently went to a wedding on Christmas Eve while this date would not suit every Bride and Groom it was a really lovely time of year, especially as the hotel venue was beautifully decorated and hotel rooms were on offer, even the music was supplied by a local band playing carols. A sunny winter’s day can be so lovely.

Access

Access to a venue is very important, the cobbled stone walkway to a country church is lovely until you try and walk on them in your bridal heels! Even more so for a guest who is in a wheelchair. As a minimum do choose a venue that has good disabled access and check out access via lifts or ramps, a venue may say they have good access where in reality negotiating the steep ramp with an elderly grandparent can be a nightmare. If it is an outside wedding think about the weather and have a plan B as a rainy day where chairs are sinking into the ground and high heels disappear into the mud makes for poor memories. It is good to also think about guests with young children who are in pushchairs. Make sure high chairs are available at your meal and that there is space to store pushchairs and that there are baby changing facilities available. Let the venue know how many and what ages of children will be attending this helps them to plan to accommodate them, also have spare nappies, changing maps and bibs available to help out parents.

Flowers and décor

Flowers are an important element of your venue, they can add colour, fit in with your colour scheme, match the bridesmaids and create atmosphere. They are expensive and beyond your bouquet, bridesmaids flowers and button holes the cost of flower displays can be prohibitive. The attraction of a hotel venue is that there is likely to be flower displays already in place. It is lovely though to have flowers on the table where you will sign the register. Churches also have flower displays but you will be asked to pay for these or to make a significant contribution. It is important to think ahead in terms of the time of year for flowers, discuss with your florist what flowers will be available for your wedding date. When you purchase your bridesmaids dresses try to get a swatch of the material to match your flowers and other décor to. There are now lots of suppliers who have designed signs for wedding venues, eg ‘drink, dance’ ‘getting hitched’, which are good fun and can be hired.

Doggies

And other non-human guests. You see lots of photos of doggies at weddings, they are part of your family and the Bride and Groom want them to share their special day. You will need to discuss this with your venue early on, definitely before booking and paying a deposit, some venues really do not want any animals except for guide dogs. On the other hand some venues are much more suitable for your special friends. I have even seen an Iguana as a ‘best man’. This is unusual though it is becoming more common to see dogs and cats. There are even special corsages you can buy for dogs to wear on the day. Whilst it is lovely for you to have them near to you and to be there on the day you need to think about your pet, will they become anxious with so many people around and the noise and different smells may upset them. They may also jump up on the brides, bridesmaids or guests dresses, not deliberately to harm but because they are excited.

Photographs

The
choice of photographer is critical, you will need to choose a photographer who
is recommended and that you have seen their work. Your venue is likely to have
partnership arrangements with a photographer and they will recommend him/her to
you. This is good as they will have recommended them before and the
photographer will know the layout and features of the venue. If you do not go
with the venues recommendation then make sure that your photographer visits the
venue with you before your wedding day so that you can discuss with them the
type of shots you want. Also discuss with your venue what and where the
photographer will be able to take photos, there may be areas where the venue
management do not want photos to be taken, for example where repair work is
being undertaken.

Chrissy Wright, Curvaceous Bridal, February 2019

]]>https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/choosing-your-wedding-venue-top-10-tips/feed/0The most common questions asked by Brideshttps://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/the-most-common-questions-asked-by-brides/
https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/the-most-common-questions-asked-by-brides/#respondMon, 16 Apr 2018 13:40:46 +0000https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/?p=28I have years of experience of running bridal shops and have seen hundreds of brides. There are the same common questions asked by brides and a few new ones that come up time and time again. I will set these out and give what I hope is the best advice for all brides and their bridesmaids, mothers, mothers-in-law2b, friends, Dads, daughters.

What if nothing fits me?

One of the most common questions asked by brides is what if nothing fits me. In a specialist plus size bridal shop the majority of dresses should fit up to size 36 off the peg. Dresses can also be made to measure for a small extra fee in certain designer ranges, such as Sonsie by Veromia. You should be confident that you will be able to try on a wide variety of styles and find your special dress. In a high street shop, there is likely to be a very small selection of plus size wedding dresses to try. Their main customer is not the plus size bride and the sample dress size is a 10/12. I have heard so many distressing stories from Brides about rubbish experiences in high street shops. Be confident in a specialist plus size bridal boutique such as Curvaceous Bridal of Sheffield.

Can I have sleeves?

A good quality bridal shop will have a seamstress to whom they refer the bride. Sleeves and straps can be added to or taken away from any dress. This also applies to belts which can be removed, added or changed. Boleros are available in plus sizes. If the bride wants sleeves then it is worth stating that sometimes sleeves can draw unwanted attention to upper arms which is much better drawn to the body of the dress. The attention of admirers’ should be on the bride and not on her upper arms.

Can I have a different colour from white?

In Curvaceous Bridal of Sheffield, there are no white wedding dresses to try, this is because there is no call for white dresses these days and the majority of dresses are Ivory. Every designer has their own version of Ivory and can also be a dark Ivory or creamy ivory. Most wedding dresses are available in Champagne and there are also dresses in Victorian Rose, pale pink or blush. These colours are becoming very popular as they are so flattering to our complexions whereas white is harsh and very unflattering.

What about alterations?

One of the very important questions asked by brides is what about alterations? A good bridal boutique will have a seamstress to whom they can refer their brides to have alterations done on their wedding dress. It usually takes 3 appointments to have alterations completed or longer if the alterations are complicated. It is necessary to add a month to the delivery time of a dress to make sure that there is time for the alterations before the wedding. The cost of alterations are usually not included in the price of the dress and are agreed with the seamstress separately.

Veil or no veil?

This is a very personal question, fewer brides are wearing veils and opting for flowers in their hair or a birdcage type veil. However, veils continue to be very popular, especially with Mothers and Nanas. Veils do frame the face and cover upper arms and ‘complete’ the bridal look. There are so many styles to choose from including 1, 2, 3 tiers, lengths include, elbow, fingertip, chapel, cathedral etc.,

Brides often worry that the beautiful back of their dress will not be seen through the veil. A good veil is transparent and made of silk, edging on a veil can match or complement the wedding dress. For example, a lace-edged veil can match the lace appliques on the wedding dress. The practice of putting the first tier of a 2 or 3 tier veil over your face when walking up the aisle is also fading with time but some brides still want to do this when being ‘given away’ by their Dads. A 2 or 3 tier veil does add volume to the veil and can be very flattering. Most veils are shorter than chapel or Cathedral as they are easier to handle and lighter to manage, but there is no beating a full-length veil framing the brides wedding dress for an impact when walking down the aisle.

I hope you have found this blog helpful in answering the most common questions asked by brides. Make sure you enjoy trying on wedding dresses and choose your beautiful wedding dress for your special day.

]]>https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/the-most-common-questions-asked-by-brides/feed/05 tips about buying the perfect Plus Size Wedding Dresshttps://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/perfect-plus-size-wedding-dress/
https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/perfect-plus-size-wedding-dress/#respondTue, 10 Apr 2018 13:31:50 +0000https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/?p=25Sweaty palms (and armpits), terrified that there will be other brides trying dresses on and that they will be skinny minis? Hoping there will be a perfect plus size wedding dress available for a more curvy bride but worried that none of the dresses will fit? Concerned that you won’t be able to keep your upper arms covered and that clingy fabrics will be the only thing available?

Does any of the above sound familiar? Yes, well you won’t be the only one feeling that way. Trying on Wedding Dresses is highly emotional and is up there stress wise with bungee jumping and parachuting from a helicopter! Here are some pointers to make the whole experience easier and calmer and even enjoyable.

If there are none locally then travel, the experience will be worth it. I’ve heard so many stories from Brides who have gone to their ‘local’ Wedding Dress shop or a national chain and had horrendous experiences. Such as, having a dress held up against them instead of trying it on, being told there is nothing in your size even though you rang to ask about plus sizes. A specialist shop, such as Curvaceous Bridal of Sheffield, will have lots of plus size wedding dresses for you to try and have the knowledge and experience to support you in finding your dream dress. Often the owner or assistant is also curvy and fully understands your dilemmas.

2. Be open-minded regarding the style

All brides dream and think about what their wedding dress will be like, some have fixed ideas of not wanting a ‘poofy’ dress for example, in the belief that the style will make them look bigger. Some curvy brides would not try on a fitted dress or a mermaid style. The best approach is to be open-minded, it may take trying on several dresses before you find your style. This could be the princess, dropped waist, empire line, A-line, fit and flare, mermaid or tea length. Be advised by your assistant as to the best styles to try, let her know if you love/hate sparkle and bling, love/hate lace and romantic styles. You’ll know when you find your dress, you’ll feel it.

3. Be budget aware

You may have discussed a budget for your wedding dress with your partner or parent, whoever is paying for your dress. In the scheme of the whole wedding, your dress is going to be well less than the catering, venue and honeymoon. It’s the only day when you can wear a wedding dress and veil so don’t “skimp on the sparkle”. The average wedding dress is approximately £1,300, you don’t pay extra for a plus size wedding dress, or at least you shouldn’t.

4. Quality, quality, quality.

The quality of a wedding dress shows in the design, the style, material and fit. If you go to a budget chain to buy your dress it is very likely to be cheaper but you won’t get the inner structure that supports you and helps you wear the wedding dress comfortably all day. Buying a specialist plus size wedding dress means quality throughout. From the contemporary styles which are new every year right through to the material of satin, tulle, lace and chiffon. The inner structure is very important to curvy ladies, the dual purpose is to both accentuate your curves and hide your curves to the very best advantage. I often have brides saying that they wish every dress could be made with a corset. With a quality dress, there will be no ‘2nd boob’, back fat or clingy belly. Your bust will fit within the internal bra, the back will be high enough with an inner corset/modesty panel and ribbon corset back, and the style of the dress will show off your best bits and flatter your waist.

5. Sleeves or no sleeves

Many many brides ask for sleeves on their wedding dresses because they “hate their arms”. This is undoubtedly true but wearing sleeves can sometimes draw attention to your arms which is the last thing you want. Veils do a very good job of covering your upper arms, as do boleros and jackets. Often though once you have on your perfect plus size wedding dress no one is looking at your arms but only at the beautiful dress you have on and how stunning you look in it.

I hope you have found our top tips on buying the perfect plus size wedding dress and that you are able to enjoy trying on wedding dresses and choose your beautiful wedding dress for your special day.

Hi to all Brides planning your weddings, of course, your wedding dress takes priority for you on the day and buying this should be about 6-12 months before your wedding day. Accessories such as your wedding veils, shoes, hair accessories and flowers are also really important to compliment your wedding dress and to achieve your vision for the day.

Wedding Veils

To wear or not to wear a veil for your wedding is a very personal choice. Most Mums want to see their daughter in a veil, in their day veils, were commonly worn and they often feel that the wedding dress is not complete without one.

There are various lengths to choose from, the most popular are the fingertip (75cms), knee (120cms) and Chapel (280cms) or Cathedral (300cms) length. All of these will be stocked by your Bridal shop. One point to remember is that if you choose to have a long veil and have a dress with a train you will need to go for a Cathedral length veil to cover the train.

Edgings for wedding veils have an impact on the cost of the veil, for example, diamante or lace will mean a more expensive veil. Your veil should definitely compliment and not compete with your dress. It is true that the thicker the veil the lower the quality. A see-through light wedding veil is of a higher quality. Personally, I love veils, for me, they do complete the wedding dress, frame and flatter the bridal silhouette. Wedding Veils can also cover the top of your arms, particularly valuable if you don’t like your arms and don’t want to show them.

Instead of a veil, there is the option of a ‘Birdcage’ veil, these are very short and just cover the face, usually placed at an angle and anchored towards the back of your hairline. A Birdcage looks best with short hair and is particularly appropriate for vintage style weddings.

Wedding Shoes

Ooooh, we all love shoes don’t we, well most of us do. The fashion at the moment though is for a flatter shoe and indeed Converse are the most popular type. I have seen some that are covered in glitter bringing fun poking out from under the dress. There are many, many shoes to pick from, I would recommend ‘Rainbow’ shoes which are specialist wedding shoes and are known for their comfort.

Whatever the style you choose, heels or flat be sure that your shoes are comfortable. You will need to put your shoes on about 2 hours before the time you get married and wear them till bedtime, this could be 12-14 hours, a long time to wear even the most comfortable shoes. Why not take another pair with you just to change into, they can easily be taken to the venue the day before. There is nothing worse than aching feet on your special day.

Hair Accessories

Again there are so many types of hair accessories to choose from, the decision on the style and type does include whether you are wearing a veil or not. If you are then the hair accessory needs to compliment the veil yet should look great on its own when the veil is removed after the wedding meal.

Flowers in your hair are very popular again, these can be a circle or a small bunch of Gypsophilia, for example, looks so pretty. On the other hand, a diamante or pearl clip or hair band look so effective and a lovely keepsake of your wedding day.

Flowers

Flowers are so important to your wedding day. They usually include bridal bouquet, bridesmaids’ flowers, groom and groomsmen’s buttonholes, Mother and Mother in law’s corsages, also flowers as a hair accessory if that’s what you choose. There are also flowers for the church or venue and thank you flowers for Mum and Mum in law the day after the wedding. All very expensive. It’s a great idea to be very clear on what you want. What type and colour of flower, the size and shape of your bouquet and the size and flower for the buttonholes and corsages.

The flowers for the church or venue are optional but an excellent addition to add to the atmosphere. Many florists do packages and the price will depend on the flowers available at the time of year. Do your homework on the florists and visit several to understand their experience of weddings not just of flower bouquets. Get recommendations from other brides and read reviews online. Also, ask them to do a dummy run of the bride’s bouquet, don’t be embarrassed to take along a photo of what you want. Also be very clear on when and where you want the different flowers to be delivered such as your house or hotel, the grooms for the buttonholes and the venue.

]]>https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/wedding-veils-and-other-accessories/feed/0Winter Weddingshttps://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/winter-weddings/
https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/winter-weddings/#respondWed, 29 Nov 2017 13:24:38 +0000https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/?p=18Winter Weddings conquer up beautiful snow lined church pathways with berries and mistletoe. Very romantic, venues often are at their best during the Christmas and New Year season. We had one bride who married at Christmas in a church filled with candles and incense, she married in a gorgeous berry coloured dress and the whole event was amazing. Holly was recently interviewed for the national magazine ‘Take a Break’ about her experience and look how happy she was!

Winter wedding dress colours

Whilst this aubergine/berry coloured dress is absolutely ideal for winter weddings it’s not every bride’s, or their Mum’s, dream colour and the overall majority of brides do go for an Ivory coloured dress which can look just as beautiful. A dress with sleeves or straps is much better for the winter months, or a bolero jacket can be worn. A very special look is with an ivory fur stole or bolero, these can be striking against a background of Christmas trees or berries. A long white winter coat can also have a big impact and keep you warm! There is the opportunity to go bold with your makeup and use a bright red lipstick which looks amazing in the winter light but not at a Summer wedding.

The colour of bridesmaid’s dresses is very important. During the winter season, it is good to consider metallic bridesmaid’s dresses as these are very pretty and trendy. A metallic silver or bronze compliments the winter wedding beautifully, the metallic dresses can also be worn again as the party season approaches.

Wedding dresses that have sparkles and sequin designs are especially pretty in the winter sunshine. Veils also can be edged in diamante which will glitter as the sun goes down. For weddings in the winter, it is always fun to consider a wedding dress with colour which won’t be overpowered by the season’s colours. Have a think about Cappuccino or Aubergine, Sonsie by Veromia designers often have these colours in their ranges. Blush pink is very pretty and champagne is very trendy for this season.

Stay warm at your winter wedding

Of course, winter weddings are great for curvy brides who feel the heat and would be very uncomfortable getting married in the heat of summer. But one way of not getting too cold is to wear tights, these could be natural flesh coloured or lace white tights but they will help with chafing thighs, keeping toes warm and stopping rubbing of heels in new shoes. Talking about shoes, certainly, it’s not the time for flip flops! More for the filled in shoe, you do need to think about your shoes especially regarding the weather. Almost every bride you ask today will want to have flat shoes, for example, Converse flats are very trendy at the moment but it’s worth considering if it is or has been raining and your shoes get wet and stained then this, not the best look. Why not treat yourself and your wedding party to comfy warm slippers to be worn when you are getting ready.

The weather is so important to weddings all year round, even if it’s sunny and hot, blowing a gale, raining or snowing. When you are buying your wedding dress, accessories and bridesmaids dresses from up to a year before your special day it is not easy to predict what the weather will be like. One item will help out whether it is summer or winter and that is the umbrella. In the shop we have umbrellas with a difference, they are ivory in colour and are heart-shaped, and they are large ‘golf’ type umbrellas that will keep you cool by filtering the sun or dry when it is raining. Of course, they are great props for photos.

Venues for winter weddings

Choosing your venue is important for winter weddings not least for being easily accessible if the weather is snowy or so cold the roads ice up. This needs to be balanced against the amazing scenery and views when the weather takes a colder turn. There is nothing to beat a snowy winter scene for outside photographs. The prettiness of dark red flowers and berries in bouquets against a white background is beautiful, the theme of dark red flowers such as Roses or Peonies can be carried through to dressing the venue. Why not take advantage of the seasons decorations such as the Christmas Tree, baubles and the venue’s dressings? You could have the photos taken at the Christmas Tree and use this as your first Christmas card as a couple.

Themes for winter weddings

You could create a snowy crystal theme with large glass vases with hanging crystals and white flowers followed through with small crystals scattered on the table. The snowflake can be used through the save the day cards, the invites, name settings and thank you notes, very bright, clean and seasonal. Taking the theme through to using gingerbread, eggnog and white candles. Favours could be packaged up like little presents or have a bauble with the guest’s name on for a place setting. Another idea is instead of signing a guest book you could have guests decorate a bauble with their names or a personal message and you can then use these on your Christmas Tree at home creating memories of your special day every year.

Your Wedding cake can carry on the theme with little snowballs on and around the cake, also snowflakes, there could be glitter or red flowers matching the bouquet.

Transport for winter weddings

Thinking about transport to and from your winter weddings venue is an exciting opportunity to do something different such as a romantic sleigh drawn by horses wearing sleigh bells. Even if you are getting married at your venue it’s a real opportunity to have a special sleigh ride just the two of you after the ceremony, spending some precious time together on a busy day.

Oh don’t forget to have lots of mistletoe around – you may get lots of kissing and some invites in the future for more winter weddings.

]]>https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/winter-weddings/feed/0Bloomin Sexy Wedding Underwearhttps://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/bloomin-sexy-wedding-underwear/
https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/bloomin-sexy-wedding-underwear/#respondThu, 09 Nov 2017 13:16:51 +0000https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/?p=15Now, ladies, this is a sensitive subject, it’s all about comfort and coolness on your wedding day and your wedding underwear has an important part to play.

As curvy ladies we know that wearing dresses are often the second choice to wearing comfortable trousers. This is usually about, as plus size, our thighs chafe and the feeling is uncomfortable, hot and even painful.

The solutions are to wear shorts or old-fashioned long-legged ‘old lady’ knickers which are neither pleasant to look at or sexy for your special day. However, a wedding underwear solution is at hand- a couple of really special cool ladies. Carol and Jill, have come up with a solution for us that are literally “Bloomin’ Sexy”. This is the name of their new company that supplies the beautiful long leg knickers.

Carol and Jill have done lots and lots of research about the need to wear longer leg underwear that helps stop the misery of chafing thighs. You need to have comfort and coolness without rolling up or cutting into your thighs. The Bloomin’ Sexy longer legged knickers combine comfort, practicality and will make you feel sexy and proud of your feminine shape.

They use soft, stretch fabrics that are washable and feel comfortable all day long. They also have a 100% cotton gusset.

Curvaceous Bridal working with ‘Bloomin’ Sexy’ is supplying these longer legged knickers for our lovely brides to wear on your special day. We have samples of the wedding underwear available for you to try in each style.

The different styles are all available in black or white:
– Classic with lace edging and a beautiful tiny rose
– Urban is a straightforward plainer type
– Romance is all lace on the legs and the bottom with a soft inner thigh
– Vintage (my favourite) has a faux suspender with bows on the lower edge
And sizes available are up to size 30.

Other Wedding Underwear

Bras

For trying on and wearing wedding dresses it is always helpful to wear a strapless bra in either flesh coloured or white. This bra should be supportive and fit well. Going to a good shop such as M & S, Debenhams, House of Fraser or a specialist underwear shop for a bra to be fitted is always a good idea. A good fitting bra gives you confidence and should be comfortable to wear all day without pinching or rubbing. Helpful too is to ‘wear’ the bra ‘in’ so that it is not brand new on your wedding day. Good bra stockists for curvy brides are Figleaves, Simply Be or Evans.

Of course, a bra is not always necessary. Designer plus size wedding dresses for curvy brides such as those sold in Curvaceous Bridal have built-in bras with support and a modesty panel back which doubles as a bra back. Don’t worry that you won’t have enough support because you will not fall out, move or jiggle about. The dresses are made for curvy larger brides and the neckline will not be falling down but will be supportive and appropriate. There is also a silicone tape going around the neckline which helps attach the dress to the skin.

Tights

I know this may seem an odd item to blog about but tights have many useful attributes for curvy brides, such as, if you are having a winter wedding some light flesh coloured tights can help keep your legs warm, especially your toes when you are outside having photographs done. Tights also help stop chafing of your thighs and can have a support top or top and thighs to help hold these ‘problem areas’ in shape. Tights can also help if you are having a ballerina or tea length wedding dress, the tights will give an even colour on your legs. Tights also help to stop your shoes rubbing whatever length wedding dress you wear.

Hoop

You don’t usually see hoops other than for wedding dresses and rockabilly dresses. For wedding dresses, though hoops have some real benefits, for example, they keep the wedding dress away from your legs, which helps with walking in your dress and keeps your legs cooler. However, it is important to note you should always try a hoop on with your wedding dress at your first fitting. This is because the hoop will add breadth to the hem of your dress giving a more princess-like shape and lifting the hem of your dress which means if the hoop is not accounted for then the dress can lift off the floor and show your shoes. That’s fine if you don’t mind showing your shoes but if you want your dress to touch the floor bare this in mind.

Shape wear

Again this is underwear that is helpful to wear to your wedding dress appointments so that your shape is shown in the dresses that you try on. Shape wear should not restrict you from sitting down or moving around in a natural way. You should feel supported and snug in your shapewear. Designs and availability are improving all the time but some of the best places to buy shapewear are Marks and Spencers and Simply Be. Flesh coloured is best, please do not wear black shapewear as this is likely to show through your wedding dress. Always the shapewear should not flatten your breasts, a great design is wearing the shapewear design that sits beneath your bra and comes down to your knees with simple straps, or straps that can be tucked into your bra.

]]>https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/bloomin-sexy-wedding-underwear/feed/0Wedding Confidence for Plus Size Brideshttps://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/confidence-for-plus-size-brides/
https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/confidence-for-plus-size-brides/#respondTue, 11 Jul 2017 13:13:10 +0000https://www.curvaceousbridal.co.uk/?p=12Hi, this is my first blog, the first of many hopefully. I’ve had a few ideas rolling around my head for the blog; the one I kept returning to was about confidence for plus size brides. As a bride, you should feel more beautiful and more confident than at any time in your life so far. Easy to say isn’t it but not always easy to pull off. I’ve heard some horror stories about brides being turned away from high street bridal shops for being plus size or the shop not having dresses to fit them. Confidence for plus size brides is about being able to find your dream dress and knowing you look beautiful.

One bride had made an appointment at a local high street shop and enquired if they had larger sizes, the shop owner assured they had. When our bride turned up on time for her appointment the shop owner ran to the door and put up her hand to stop our bride entering, saying “you can’t come in here, we have nothing for you in here”. Our bride was so upset she cancelled her wedding. I was horrified when I heard her story in our shop. We were able to offer lots of beautiful designer dresses and helped her find her dream wedding dress.

I have also heard from brides on many occasions that they have been to ‘high street’ shops and found that there is nothing or maybe one dress to try on. Often they are met with rudeness from staff who do not understand the issues facing plus size brides, particularly their lack of confidence and body issues such as their arms and concerns about ‘back fat’. I understand very well all of these worries, being a plus size curvy women myself I know shopping for clothes can be confidence sapping. I can assure you that at Curvaceous Bridal I will help you in any way I can, the best way is to try on some wedding dresses that fit you in all the right places and flatter your figure making you look absolutely amazing.

Curvaceous Bridal is for plus size curvy brides and I can promise the best experience and confidence for plus size brides, in trying on the many many dresses that we have available in sizes 16 to 36. The shop is on Nether Edge close to the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Please book an appointment and let’s enjoy the experience together.